Type-cleaner for type-writing machines.



No. 632,298. Patented Sept. 5, I899.

M. G. WEST.

TYPE CLEANER FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

(Application filed Mar. 10, 1899.1 (No Model.)

Jnvezzfar: M 641K251 NTED STATES MONTGOMERY G. \VEST, OF KANSAS CITY,MISSOURI.

TYPE-CLEANER FOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,298, datedSeptember 5, 1899. Application filed March 10,1899. Serial No. 708,562.(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MONTGOMERY G. WEstr, of Kansas City, Jackson county,Missouri,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type Cleaners forType- WVriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to type-cleaners for type-writing machines; and myobject is to produce a device of thischaracter which is susceptible ofuse upon a Remington, as well as upon a Smith Premier, Caligraph, andother machines having the type arranged in a circle.

A further object is to produce a type-cleaner which may be easily andquickly secured to or removed from a type-writing machine and which mayremain thereon permanently, if desired, because the cleaner whenoccupying its operative position in no wise interfereswith the operationof the machine.

A still further object is to produce a device of this character ofsimple, strong, durable, and inexpensive construction.

WVith these objects in View the invention consists in certain novel andpeculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as will behereinafter described and claimed, and in order that the invention maybefully understood I will proceed to describe it with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 represents a vertical section taken through the centerof the lower part of a typewriting machine and also through the centerof my type-cleaner secured to the machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan View ofthe type-cleaner detached, said cleaner being adapted for use upon aRemington. Fig. 3 is a similar viewof a type-cleaner having a circularinstead of an elongated brush,this cleaner being adapted for use withtype-writing machines having circular type series. Fig. 4 is a detailview of part of the type-cleaner.

In the said drawings, 1 designates the rear standards of a type-writingmachine, and 2 the sides of the base of the machine.

The type-cleaner proper is constructed as follows: 3 designates a barwhich bridges the space between and rests upon the sides 2 of themachine-frame, and said bar is provided at its ends with depending arms-i,carrying set-screws 5 for engagement with said sides, so as to clampthe bar 3 firmly in position.

By making the bar 3 long enough to accommodate the widest machines andmounting set-screws in the depending flanges thereof it is obvious thatthe bar can be operatively secured as easily upon the narrowest machinesor intermediate sizes as upon the widest machines. 1

6 designates a pair of vertical rods which are arranged preferably atequal distances from and at opposite sides of the center of the bar andare secured to the latter in any suitable or preferred manner, theirupper ends attaining an altitude slightly higher by preference, than theseries of type, and secured also upon said bar is a bearing-standard '7,preferably bifurcated and carrying a cross-pin or pivot 8.

9 designates a lever which at its front end is forked to provide thebranch arms 10 and at its opposite end is formed with a thumb orfingerplate 11 in order that the operator may conveniently manipulate thelever, which is pivoted upon the cross-pin or pivot 8. For conveniencein securing the cleaner in position or removing the same this pivotalrela tion can be broken or established at will, because the lever isprovided in its under side with a slot or notch 12, through which thepivot-pin 8 extends instead of through a perforation in the body of thelever. This slot or notch opens rearward of the pivot, and the latter isreliably maintained therein when the parts are operatively assembled bymeans of the catch 13, pivoted to the lever and adapted, when th'elatteris mounted upon the pivot, to swing downward and, overlapping the slot,bear forwardly against the standard 7, said catch being provided at itsupper edge with a shoulder 14. to overlap the top of the standard, andthus limit such downward movement. When the catch is thus arranged, itis obvious that the lever cannot work forward upon the pivot and bedisconnected there- .from.

15 designates an annular frame which approximately conforms to thearrangement of the top of the particular machine upon which the cleaneris destined for use'that is to say, if the cleaner is for use upon aReming- IOO -17, having central holes 18, which register ton, whereinthe type are arranged in substantially an elongated rectangular series,the frame will preferablybe of elongated rectangular form, (see Fig. 2,)and if the cleaner is for use upon a Smith-Premier or other machinehaving its type arranged in a circle the frame will, by preference, beof circular form, said frame being simply the body of acorrespondingly-formed brush 16, the working face or faces of said brushreaching about the vertical plane of the type.

The frame or body 15 of the brush for the purpose of making it as lightand cheap as possible is provided with skeleton cross-bars with thevertically-dependin g sleeves 19, preferably cast with said cross-barsand of such length that when resting 011 the bar 3 they support thebrush contiguous to but out of the path of the type when the latterrespond to pressure on the keys. (Not shown.)

The cross-bars 17 are connected preferably by a bridge-bar 20, having anotch or depression 21 in its upper side, and arranged verticallybetween said bridge-bar and bar 3 is a retractile coil-spring 22, whichis hooked at its lower end to a staple or hook 23, riveted or otherwisesecured to the bar 3 at its center, and is hooked at its upper end tothe notched portion of the cross-bar 20, the function of said springbeing to expedite and make positive the downward movement of the brushimmediately after the overcoming pressure upon the thumb-piece 11 of thelever is removed, this pressure being applied by the operator in orderto raise the brush and cause it in its upward movement to sweep the faceof the type, this sweeping operation being repeated in the oppositedirection by the downward movement of the brush caused by said spring.In order to elevate the brush by depressing said lever, the latter ispivotally connected to the lower ends of the links 24, pivotally mountedat their upper ends on the pins 25, projecting inward from the body orframe of the brush.

In the late types of the Remington typewriting machines there exists aspace between the two pull-rods nearest each side of the machine wideenough to receive the bar 3 and permit it to rest upon the sides 2 ofthe machine and be secured in such position, as hereinbefore explained;but in order to conveniently secure said bar in such position the links24 are detached from the pins 25, and the spring is detached from eitherthe staple or hook 23 of the cross-bar 20 in order that the brush may bedisengaged from the guide-rods 6. Assuming now that the parts aredetached, as described, and the bar has been secured in position, theoperator raises the carriage and the ribbon attachments, 1

which obstruct the entrance to the type-nest, and introduces thereinthebrush, slipping the same upon the guide-rods 6. The operator thenreestablishes the connection by means of the spring between the bar andthe brushframe and mounts the upper ends of the links upon the pins 25,as before. The catch 13 is also adjusted to its operative position, asshown in Fig. 1. As now arranged it is obvious that the type 26 at thelower ends of the type-bars 27 are free to operate in the usual mannerand are braced from outward movement by the customary support 28, whichsupport serves to hold the type rigid against the pressure of the brushwhen the latter is reciprocated vertically by alternately pressing downupon and releasing said lever to permit the spring to lower the brush inthe manner hereinbefore explained.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced atype-cleaner for type-writing machines which is adapted for use bysimply changing the contour of the brush with any of the type-writingmachines in common use, and it is to be understood that slight changesin the detail construction, form, arrangement, or proportion of theparts will not be considered a departure from the spirit and scope orsacrifice any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A type-cleaner for type-writing machines, comprising a bar secured tothe machine, and provided with vertical guides, a brush fittingslidingly on said guides, a retractile spring connecting the brush withthe bar, a standard upon the bar and provided with a pivot-pin, a leverlinked to the brush and fulcrumed on said pivot-pin, and a catch carriedby said lever and engaging the standard to hold the lever on said pin,substantially as described.

,2. A type-cleaner for type-writing machines, comprising a bar securedto the machine and provided with vertical guides, a brush fittingslidingly on said guides, a retractile spring connecting the brush withthe bar, a standard upon the bar and provided 1 with a pivot-pin, alever linked to said brush,

and provided with a slot 12 pivotally embracing said pivot-pin, apivoted catch 13 carried by said lever and provided with a shoulder 14.,substantially as and for the purpose dcscribed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

MONTGOMERY G. \VEST. Witnesses M. R. REMLEY, HELEN Ronenns.

